My wife and I spent our honeymoon in "The Pines" cottage at Chesley Creek Farms. We are from Southern Maryland and were hoping to find a place relatively close yet in the mountains to relax for a week. Both the cabin and the ownership were equally impressive as Chuck, one of the co-owners, answered what seemed like 100 questions promptly kindly.
From the moment we drove up to the cabin to the moment we drove away, it was perfect for a couple's stay. The cabin sports a wrap around porch, a hammock outside, a fire pit with wood provided, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining room table for two, tall ceilings, a cozy bedroom, a jacuzzi tub, shower, and just about everything else you can think of. If this cabin was smaller it would feel tight, if it was any bigger you'd get lonely. The Pines was the perfect size for us to enjoy an entire week there without feeling stuffy or "couped up". Also, whoever cleans the cabins keeps it in IMMACULATE condition.
Things you should know about the Pines: ALL YOU HAVE TO BRING IS FOOD. Here are most of the things the cabin has upon arrival: Linens (towels, pillowcases, pillows, sheets, blankets, you name it), all the utensils you can think of along with dishware (even paper napkins!), assorted spices were even in the kitchen cabinet!, hotel soaps and shampoos, an electric pedestal George Foreman grill, microwave, oven, full-size refrigerator with a freezer, gas stove, ccokwar (pots, pans, tea kettle, cooking utensils) board games, books and CDs, a vacuum just in case, reflective hiking vests, walking sticks, coffee pot, silverware, bake ware, dish towels, pot holders, toaster, double sided fireplace (bedroom and living room), hair dryer, an extra brand new toothbrush if you forgot one! (no toothpaste though), bathrobes, and basically everything else you can think of.
The cottage is equipped with an air conditioner (and heat I assume- we stayed in July so we didn't utilize it). The light switches are labeled (of which there are dozens) and many of the lights have dimmer switches.
Assorted moments from ourexperience:
We arrived and typed in our access code and retrieved our key from the dining room table.
We cooked every night and made use of the stove, the oven, and the microwave several times over.
We even met the gentle John Henry (the owner's border collie) who seemed like a myth until he arrived at our porch door! He played fetch at 8pm for a few minutes and we gave him a bowl of water (there was a dog bowl was underneath the kitchen sink).
Chuck asks you to leave the check on the table when you leave the cabin (NO CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT PROCEDURE!) however I had mistakenly written the check for the wrong amount. Within one week, Chuck had reimbursed me for the difference which reflected how easy it was to communicate with him.
The property is 20 minutes away from Skyline Drive/Shanandoah National Park and 40 minutes from Charlottesville. Though there are several mom-and-pop convenience stores nearby, we took a few trips to the Walmart Supercenter in Ruckersville (25min) to stock our fridge.
We found out via the guestbook on the coffee table that many guests come to the Pines every year which we now fully understand and we hope to return one day.
If you're considering staying here, let this 60th 5-star review get the point across that you will not be disappointed. read more